CLASS OF 2004 GRADUATE COMMENTS
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] The MBA program at BYU changed my life; it allowed me to find an interest in a different field that I didn't know I had. I have also met some of my best friends, and I have built an extensive network of professors and colleagues that will become invaluable to me as I further my career. The faculty are outstanding, and I really think I received an excellent return on investment.--Finance
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] The program has strong core courses that provide a solid foundation for a chosen area of emphasis (finance, organizational behavior/human resources, marketing, supply chain, and so on) resulting in good breadth and depth. Students seem to be more marketable as they pursue positions in their chosen emphasis/track as compared to a general MBA. The team structure of the program (students assigned to work in small groups for each class) also helps students develop effective teamwork skills, including how to influence others and lead a team.--Human Resources
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] BYU's emphasis tracks (finance, operations, marketing, organizational behavior/HR) allow for a way to differentiate oneself as an MBA. The low cost of tuition is also a positive factor.--Not Available
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] BYU is a unique place. For one, it's a church school and most of the students here are church members. There isn't a bar scene at all, but there are tons of college students and young people around. The mountains are very close, so there's plenty of opportunity to ski, bike, and hike (even though I didn't have much time for it). In terms of classroom experience, the faculty are great. Some of the best teachers on campus teach the core classes. Most of the first-year assignments are done in teams, so I learned better communication skills and how to rely on others. It's a small school -- I think there were 110 MBAs in my graduating class. I've gotten to know everyone well. On the downside, we're small and out of the way with only one other school in the area so not many recruiters make the trip to campus. I've had to be more pro-active in the job search, targeting companies I'm interested in and finding a way inside. Alumni have been helpful in the job search. Another downside of being a small school is that we don't have lots of tracks -- some of my classmates were interested in real estate and had to work with the administration to get the courses they wanted. One other thing that most people don't know is that BYU offers great entrepreneurship classes. There are lots of students who are starting businesses. There are three teams heading to the MBA Jungle competition, and two going to the Venture Bowl competition. In the statewide business plan competition, BYU teams took first, second, and third.--Marketing
I don't think business school is for everyone, but it was a great investment for me. Depending on my colleague's abilities and interests, I would encourage them to pursue an MBA at BYU. It would also depend on the track they were most interested in because some tracks at the school are stronger than others.--Human Resources
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] My answer to this question depends largely on what the values and goals are of my specific friend or colleague. Do they love the prestige of a big-name, top-10 program? Are they only focused on consulting or i-banking in New York? Then, maybe this isn't the place for them. But if they're looking for the best possible educational value, which will lead them to a broad array of choices, and top-flight professors, this may be a great place for them. For those who fit that mold, I feel very comfortable recommending BYU as an opportunity. My business school decision was between the University of Chicago and BYU. I calculated I would spend about $120K more in two years (given my family size) at Chicago than at BYU. Sure Chicago is an awesome program that feeds tons of students to Wall Street and the consulting worlds, but I wasn't sure the extra $120K would lead me anyplace I couldn't get on my own out of BYU. And what if I didn't want Wall Street after two years at Chicago? Would the huge debt burden I had assumed limit my ability to choose something other than a high risk/high reward career? And as it turns out, BYU was the perfect experience for my family. I had Wall Street opportunities for my internship, but turned them down to work in municipal bonds with Zions Bank here locally. I was able to achieve all my academic and career goals while at BYU, and realize that, while Chicago may have been a better choice for a lot of others in different situations, for me, BYU was perfect.--Investment Banking
[Did consulting project enhance learning?] It was a bit of a headache, but it was a good experience because I had to stretch and work without a safety net. One of the problems I had was that my project was for a company that didn't have an existing relationship with the school, and I spent half a semester clearing legal hurdles, so the project dragged out past graduation by a week.--Marketing
I got to get inside two local startups and help them write their business plans. The work was extremely helpful in getting to know the local VC/private equity market better.--Venture Capital/Private Equity
I decided to make a career change while coming back to school (consulting to finance). I realized that I needed more experience. My in-class work experiences enabled me to apply my learning, network with business professionals, and receive more individual mentoring from faculty. I have no doubt that these experiences helped me land my job with Ford Motor Company.--Finance
I did three field studies, and they were some of the most important experiences of my MBA. I was able to conduct real-life cosulting projects, learn important consulting techniques, and enhance my self-confidence.--Marketing
One thing that I think the school needs and wants to improve is in the diversity of the student body. Most of the students are Mormons, most are white, and most are men. There are quite a few international students, but not enough minorities. If you're a minority and want to open doors for people coming after you, apply here. Also, the school doesn't offer scholarships until after students have decided to come here. About two-thirds of the tuition is subsidized by the LDS church, so everyone gets a break. Just don't call up the MBA director and say, "School X offered me a $60,000 scholarship package--what are you going to offer?" BYU is looking more for students who want to be at the school than for people shopping for a great value. One last note -- this is a church school, so the first class of the day usually starts with a prayer, and ethics is integrated into the curriculum.--Marketing
BYU, while criticized for lack of diversity by some, allows for a great education without excessive debt. Great ROI! I actually got to know a lot of international students and minorities, and I don't think diversity can be properly measured by plain numbers -- but the interaction and fellowship at BYU is good.--Finance
My MBA experience was, bar none, one of the finest experiences of my life to this point. I thoroughly enjoyed the classroom discussion, the outside assignments, and thought-provoking opportunities for problem-solving and leadership development.--Marketing
More than anything, my MBA experience taught me that you never know what you can do until you push the boundaries. We're all busy, but my experience has taught me the need to continue to stretch yourself even when you think your plate's full and more often than not, you will find additional capacity. I feel confident, based on my education at BYU, that I could get thrown into any situation, within reason, and land on my feet because my experience has taught me how to learn and where to go to get the knowledge and ability you don't currently have.--Finance
It is my opinion that your individual capability will ultimately determine your success and not the MBA school you attend; therefore, why not attend a great school at one-tenth the cost?--Not Available
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